An Association of Marketing Students®

Preliminary Round #1

OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORY
Business Services Marketing Series

INSTRUCTIONAL AREA
Communication and Interpersonal Skills

PARTICIPANT INSTRUCTIONS

PROCEDURES

1.	The event will be presented to you through your reading of these instructions, including the Performance Indicators and Event Situation. You will have up to 10 minutes to review this information to determine how you will handle the role-play situation and demonstrate the performance indicators of this event. During the preparation period, you may make notes to use during the role-play situation.

2.	You will give an ID label to your adult assistant during the preparation time.

3.	You will have up to 10 minutes to role-play your situation with a judge (you may have more than one judge).

4.	You will be evaluated on how well you meet the performance indicators of this event.

5.	Turn in all your notes and event materials when you have completed the role-play.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 

1.	Maintain a positive attitude.

2.	Use appropriate assertiveness.

3.	Demonstrate problem-solving skills.

4.	Interpret business policies to customer/clients.

5.	Show empathy for others.

EVENT SITUATION

You are to assume the role of cruise line representative for American Sea Cruises, a worldwide cruise line. You will process a refund for a customer (judge) who is canceling a cruise. 

You have been approached by a customer (judge) who wants to cancel his/her cruise and wants a refund. The customer has booked a cruise to Mexico for himself/herself and a companion at a cost of $1,875 per person. The customer paid a $500 deposit for each cruise and has also paid the balance. They were supposed to leave 15 days from now. The customer (judge) is insisting that he/she receive a full refund. However, American Sea Cruises’ cancellation policy is as follows:  

Cancellation Policy	Amount Forfeited	
Up to 60 days in advance	No forfeit
(Full refund)	
31– 59 days in advance	Deposit	
15 – 30 days in advance	50% of fare	
14 days –72 hours in advance	75% of fare	
Less than 72 hours in advance or no show	100% of fare	

You are to explain the cancellation policy to the customer (judge) and get him/her to accept the proper refund.  

You will discuss the refund with the customer (judge) in a role-play to take place at the front counter of the cruise line. The customer (judge) will begin the role-play by greeting you and asking for a refund. Once you have made your presentation and have answered the customer’s (judge’s) questions, the customer (judge) will also conclude the role-play by thanking you for your help.

JUDGE’S INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS, PROCEDURES AND JUDGE’S ROLE

In preparation for this event, you should review the following information with your event manager and other judges:

1.	Procedures

2.	Performance Indicators 

3.	Event Situation

4.	Judge Role-play Characterization
Participants may conduct a slightly different type of meeting and/or discussion with you each time; however, it is important that the information you provide and the questions you ask be uniform for every participant.

5.   Judge’s Evaluation Instructions

6.	Judge’s Evaluation Form
Please use a critical and consistent eye in rating each participant.

JUDGE ROLE-PLAY CHARACTERIZATION

You are to assume the role of customer of American Sea Cruises, a worldwide cruise line. A representative of the cruise line (participant) will talk with you about a refund for canceling a cruise you have booked and paid for.

You have approached a cruise line representative (participant) with a request to cancel a cruise and receive a refund. You have booked a cruise to Mexico for yourself and a companion at a cost of $1,875 per person. You paid a $500 deposit for each cruise and have also paid the balance. You were supposed to leave 15 days from now. You are insisting that you receive a full refund. However, American Sea Cruises’ cancellation policy is as follows:  

Cancellation Policy	Amount Forfeited	
Up to 60 days in advance	No forfeit
(Full refund)	
31– 59 days in advance	Deposit	
15 – 30 days in advance	50% of fare	
14 days –72 hours in advance	75% of fare	
Less than 72 hours in advance or no show	100% of fare	

The representative (participant) is to explain the cancellation policy to you and persuade you to accept the proper refund.  

The discussion will take place in a role-play to take place at the front counter of the cruise line.  You will begin the role-play by greeting the representative (participant) and asking for a refund.  

During the course of the role-play you are to ask the following questions of each participant:

1.	How can losing one room hurt the cruise line?

2.	Next time I think I’ll book with a different cruise line. How can you justify losing my business?

3.	You receive a lot of money from people you never have to provide services to. How can the cruise line justify this policy? 

Once the representative (participant) has made the presentation and has answered your questions, you will conclude the role-play by thanking the cruise line representative (participant) for his/her explanation.  

You are not to make any comments after the event is over except to thank the participant.

JUDGE’S EVALUATION INSTRUCTIONS

Evaluation Form Information

The participants are to be evaluated on their ability to perform the specific performance indicators stated on the cover sheet of this event and restated on the Judge’s Evaluation Form. Although you may see other performance indicators being demonstrated by the participants, those listed in the Performance Indicators section are the critical ones you are measuring for this particular event.

Evaluation Form Interpretation

The evaluation levels listed below and the evaluation rating procedures should be discussed thoroughly with your event chairperson and the other judges to ensure complete and common understanding for judging consistency.

Level of Evaluation	Interpretation Level	
		
Excellent	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator in an extremely professional manner; greatly exceeds business standards; would rank in the top 10% of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Good	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator in an acceptable and effective manner; meets at least minimal business standards; there would be no need for additional formalized training at this time; would rank in the 70-89th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Fair	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator with limited effectiveness; performance generally fell below minimal business standards; additional training would be required to improve knowledge, attitude and/or skills; would rank in the 50-69th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Poor	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator with little or no effectiveness; a great deal of formal training would be needed immediately; perhaps this person should seek other employment; would rank in the 0-49th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	

JUDGE’S EVALUATION FORM
BSM-03
State Event 

DID THE PARTICIPANT:

1.  Maintain a positive attitude?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at maintaining a positive attitude were inadequate.	Adequately maintained a positive attitude.	Effectively maintained a positive attitude.	Very effectively maintained a positive attitude.	

2.  Use appropriate assertiveness?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at using appropriate assertiveness were inadequate.	Adequately used appropriate assertiveness.	Effectively used appropriate assertiveness.	Very effectively used 
appropriate assertiveness.	
	
3.  Demonstrate problem-solving skills?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at demonstrating problem-solving skills were inadequate.	Adequately demonstrated problem-solving skills.	Effectively demonstrated problem-solving skills.	Very effectively demonstrated problem-solving skills.	
	
4.  Interpret business policies to customers/clients?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at interpreting business policies to customers/clients were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately interpreted business policies to customers/clients.	Effectively interpreted business policies to customers/clients.	Very effectively interpreted business policies to customers/clients.	
	
5.  Show empathy for others?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at showing empathy for others were inadequate.	Adequately showed empathy for others.	Effectively showed empathy for others.	Very effectively showed 
empathy for others.	
	
6.  Overall impression and response to the judge’s questions?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 1	2, 3, 4	5, 6, 7	8, 9, 10	
Demonstrated few skills; could not answer the judge’s questions.	Demonstrated limited ability to link skills; answered the judge’s questions adequately.	Demonstrated the specified skills; answered the judge’s questions effectively.	Demonstrated skills confidently and professionally; answered the judge’s questions very effectively.	

Judge’s  Initials 		TOTAL SCORE